Operation 40

Operation 40, also called Op 40, was a CIA-sponsored counterintelligence group that consisted of Cuban exiles during the reign of Fidel Castro. Op 40 was formed in 1960 after the Cuban Revolution, and the United States backed them against the communist government. Made up of former Castro guerrillas, Batista soldiers, and farmers, Operation 40 lasted until 1970, when the USA cut its funding due to the crash of a plane carrying cocaine and heroin that were to be sold to fund Op 40's activities.

History
Operation 40 was founded on 11 December 1959 when CIA Western Hemisphere Division chief J.C. King informed CIA director Allen W. Dulles that the left-wing government that seized power in Cuba would likely encourage similar revolutions in the countries of Latin America in America's "backdoor". Op 40 was founded by the CIA to resist the government of Fidel Castro, who threatened US interests by nationalizing the oil of the country, pushing out casino owners, and having issues with the United Fruit Company's exploitation of Cuban resources. Cuban exiles in the United States were recruited to Op 40 to seize power from the communist government, and they were given US weapons like the M-16 and M60 during their campaign against the Tropas in Cuba. From 1960 to 1965 the "Escambray Rebellion" took place in Cuba, with former Castro guerrillas, Batista soldiers, and farmers rising up against Castro's government.

Op 40's best-known attempt to overthrow the Cuban government was the Bay of Pigs invasion of April 1961, which resulted in the massacre of the Cuban exiles as they landed at the Playa de Giron. 1,500 Op 40 soldiers took part in the invasion, but 191 were killed, 360 wounded, and 1,179 captured in a complete annihilation of the Op 40 forces that landed in Cuba. However, the USA continued to support the opposition to Castro's regime with weapons, training, and cash. In 1970, the group came to an end when a plane that crashed in California was said to have been carrying heroin and cocaine that would be sold in exchange for money to fund the group.